Crush

Crush being cast in battle in Dark Dawn

Crush (クラッシュ, Crush) is a Mars Utility Psynergy introduced in Golden Sun: Dark Dawn. It is available upon defeating Sludge and acquiring the Crush Tusk. It can also be used in battle as an offensive Psynergy. Its encyclopedia entry reads as follows:

"This fire-based Psynergy strikes an object with great force. It can be used on cracked boulders and weakened floors to shatter them."

Basic Description

Crush is an offensive, single-target Psynergy. The final damage inflicted by Crush is determined by comparing the user's Mars Power to the target's Mars Resistance, then multiplying this factor by the base power of the move.

Crush

Mars

7 PP

"Smash an object." ((DD))

In the field, destroys a cracked object or applies striking force to certain, more durable objects from above. In battle, attacks a single target with a base power of 70.

Crush's in-battle appearance is visualized as a pair of large, blue, interlocked hands that form above the target and strike the opponent.

Damage calculation example

Elemental Power attacks such as Crush use a set base power as the base damage to be modified. For example, the base power of Crush is 70. Thus, an unmodified Crush would do around 70 points of damage. Crush's attack takes this base damage value and uses it in the following equation: final damage = (base damage) * (1 + (User's Mars Power - Enemy's Mars Resistance) / 200) To word this in prose, the Crush series takes the base damage of the particular attack, and then modifies this by how much higher or lower the user's Mars Power is than the target's Mars Resistance. The difference between the user's Mars Power and the target's Mars Resistance is then divided by 200, then 1 is added to this, resulting in what can be called the "elemental damage multiplier". This number is what the Psynergies' damage is multiplied by. For example, if an Adept with a Mars Power of 150 casts Crush on a monster with a Mars Resistance of 50: damage = (base damage) * (1 + (Power - Resistance) / 200) damage = (70) * (1 + (150 - 50) / 200) damage = (70) * (1 + 100 / 200) damage = (70) * (1 + 0.5) damage = 70 * 1.50 damage = 105 Therefore, a Crush cast under these circumstances would deal approximately 105 points of damage to the targeted enemy.

Crush as a Utility Psynergy

Crush is the Dark Dawn successor to Pound, applying powerful force on an object from above, though it can shatter cracked rocks as well.

Crush's main use is as an important Utility Psynergy in Dark Dawn. In practice, Crush can be considered a hybrid of the Pound and Burst Psynergies found in Golden Sun: The Lost Age. Like Burst, Crush allows the player to destroy large, cracked rocks. Crush can also push down pillar like-objects into the ground, akin to Pound. Also, when Crush when standing on seesaw-like levers, using Crush on the opposite side will catapult the player into the air, making it possible to reach platforms that are otherwise too far or too high to jump on.

Availability

Like many Utility Psynergies, Crush is only available by equipping an object imbued with the Psynergy, namely the Crush Tusk, which is obtained after defeating the monster Sludge in battle. The ability to equip the Crush Tusk is limited to Mars Adepts, meaning only Tyrell and Eoleo can equip it. Once the Crush Tusk is equipped, Tyrell and Eoleo will retain Crush no matter what class they are currently in.

Analysis

General: While Crush has offensive capabilities, they are often overlooked. Crush's power is generally equivalent to mid-game Psynergies like Flare Storm. However, since Crush is Power-based, it quickly loses power against stronger opponents, and will generally see little, if any, late-game usage.

Golden Sun: Dark Dawn: Tyrell will generally be the recipient of the Crush Tusk. However, when it is received, Crush's power will already be weaker than his other Psynergies, namely Flare Storm, Eruption, and Heat Wave/Liquefier. Thus, Crush is likely to see little use. In particular, Crush is already inferior in power to the Arid Blast and Arid Scorch, which Tyrell has had for a significant portion of the game.

Psynergy cast by enemies

Crush is part of the arsenal of Sludge, who demonstrates its offensive and utility functions. It is stated that the Crush Tusk contains the power Sludge used.